Chile Colorado

Chile colorado is a simple chili dish made with pork, dried chiles and a few other simple ingredients that simmer together until the pork is tender. You can make it mild or hot depending on the type of chiles you use and it’s delicious served over rice or with tortillas.

Some people call it “chili colorado” some people call it “chile colorado” and some people call it “Colorado chili” having mistakenly thought it’s a type of chili indigenous to the state of Colorado when, in fact, it is a type of pork chile from our friends in Mexico.

Maybe there is an authentic “Colorado chili” that has deep roots tied to the state, but I haven’t found it yet. I think it may be a case of “oh, hey! That’s chili has the same name as our state. Let’s make it our own!” Because while researching “Colorado chili” I kept running into versions of what I’m sharing today: a traditional red chile made with tender pork simmered in a sauce made with dried peppers. “Colorado” in this case refers to the color of the sauce, which is a beautiful shade of red.

Chile Colorado Recipe Highlights

I’ve made three batches of this chile colorado over the last month or so and each time I love it more. It’s cozy, it’s flavorful, and it’s perfect for a Sunday simmering session – it has the most wonderful aroma as it cooks. Plus:

• You can adjust the heat level by varying the types of dried chiles you use. I went the mild route, but you can easily switch things up to make it as spicy as you want.
• There are basically just three steps: make the sauce, brown the pork, and then simmer them both in broth until the sauce has thickened and the pork is tender.
• It keeps well in the fridge and the flavor only gets better as it sits. Make a batch on Sunday, pop it in the fridge, and you have a few easy dinners for the week.

Soak the Chiles

We’re using dried chiles for this recipe and there are many varieties. I used a mild variety I found at my regular grocery store, but you can opt for hotter ones if you like it spicy. Or do a combo of chiles in the spirit of “choose your adventure”.

• You will want to remove the stems and seeds. I do this over a bowl to catch all the mess.
• Place the pieces in a bowl or baking dish and cover them with water. You want to soften the dried chiles so it’s easy to puree them.
• Many recipes will instruct you to toast the chiles first and I really think this is a personal preference. I tested versions with toasted and not-toasted chiles and there wasn’t much of a difference. It’s an added step and one I don’t think is absolutely necessary.
• Soak the chiles for at least 30 minutes or until they’re softened.

Prep the Pork

• While the chiles are soaking I like to prep the pork. Use pork shoulder or pork butt which are tougher cuts with a higher fat content that take well to braising.
• Cut the pork into bite-sized pieces. As you slice and cut it into pieces trim any parts that have a lot of excess fat and discard it.
• In a large pan with tall sides, brown the pork pieces in vegetable oil. Depending on the size of your pan you will need to do this in a few batches. Once a batch is browned remove it from the pan and brown the next batch.
• Once all of the pork is browned, place it all back in the pan and turn the heat to low while you make the sauce.

Make the Chile Sauce

By the time you prep and brown the pork, the chiles should be nice and soft.

• Transfer all of the softened chiles plus one cup of the soaking liquid to a food processor or blender.
• Add a roughly chopped onion, garlic, ground cumin, dried oregano and salt.
• Puree it until the mixture is smooth.

Simmer Time

Now that you have your gorgeous red chile sauce it’s time to pull it all together.

• Just in case there are little bits of seeds or unprocessed peppers in your sauce, it’s a good idea to use a fine-mesh strainer to strain it. I do this right over the pork in the pan. Just press on the puree with a spatula to get it through the strainer.
• Add some chicken stock stir it all together and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat to maintain a strong simmer and simmer the chile colorado for an hour to an hour and a half or until the pork is tender and the sauce has thickened.

You know it’s ready when the pork is tender and the sauce is glossy and thickened. Right at the end, I like to add some fresh lime juice, which wakes up all of the flavors, and some chopped fresh cilantro.

How to Serve It

I can eat chile colorado straight from the pan, but for a more civilized approach here are some other ideas:

• Serve it on warm flour or corn tortillas and top it with a runny yolk fried egg along with some cheese and avocado. (<– my personal favorite).
• Spoon it over rice with some chopped cilantro sprinkled over the top.
• Use it to make tacos and wrap it up in flour tortillas with your favorite toppings.
• Scoop it over tortilla chips for homemade nachos.
• Serve it in a bowl with all of your favorite chili toppings. Or use it to make some Frito pies (yasss!)

Happy simmering!

More Cozy Comfort Food

I ❤ comfort food! Here are a few more of my favorite recipes or browse my all my Comfort Food Recipes for even more ideas.

• Braised Short Rib Mushroom Sauce with Pappardelle
• Winter Minestrone
• Green Chile Macaroni and Cheese
• Instant Pot Braised Beef Tacos

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